[REVISITED] Spitfire Down!

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

A quick question: When a fighter is crash landing do you think the pilot would lower the landing gear? or just belly flow. And if he lowers the gear, chances are they could break off? I guess that's 2 questions.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Perfect, thank you. I appreciate the information.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Here are some pics of the Tamiya 1:48 Austin Tilly. This was an absolute pleasure to build and took from start to photos about 12 hours. What a sweet little kit!

A custom mix of RAF Blue (although not accurate apparently - meh) was chosen for contrast within the final diorama and all weathering was done with Vallejo Pigments (scaleModelMedic's way in his tutorial) and Artists Oils.

Here's a list of my modifications to the kit:

• Opened drivers door (scribed it to remove it), detailed interior of door and added open window with clear styrene.
• Added stowage (Tamiya 1:48 stowage kit)
• Added tiny scratchbuilt fire extinguisher (pretty much invisible to the camera) behind passenger seat
• Dented up the front left fender
• Opened tailgate and added basswood planks. Added scale chain.

I have a video for this in the can. Working on the Spitfire now. These kits are excellent. The Vallejo pigments simply rock. Man, they're fun and artistic to use.

 

[DreamKnight]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

cool weathering on the truck!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Looks Smashing!

 

[Iafrate]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Don't want to be that guy...but I currently fly and the procedure for crash landing is Gear Down, unless over water. Well, thats the procedure for a Boeing 707.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Good to know. I"ve seen some WWII dios with wheels in the field behind the plane and some appear as a belly flop. I'll see what looks cool


Working on the Spitfire now. I'm at the point where I have to make decisions about damage and what brought this down. I'd like to modify the rudder and tail - move it and fill it with holes - which will require me to scratch build some of the internal structure.

Looking for reference on that now. I'll get to the build again in the morning.

EDIT: Just found a nice hi-res cross section. Saaweeet.

 

[Iafrate]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

The theory is that the landing gears sole purpose is to absorb the shock of a aircrafts touchdown to the runway, so in theory again that would work the same over a non-paved surface to absorb the shock before the "crash" part starts. Now on the other hand, if the aircraft needs hydraulics to lower the gear and there hydro system is shot out, then it would be pretty hard to lower the gear. I'm not too proficient with WW2 era aircraft, but modern aircraft always has a back up system to get the gear down. If it be manually (heavies) or by pneumatics, which would "blow" the gear down (fighters). I remember also aircraft like the old Wildcats, the pilot had to manually crank the gear down. So if the pilot got shot up, then it would be pretty tough for him to fly the plane and get the gear down all shot up. Well, unless your John Wayne i guess. Anyways just a bit of knowledge to ponder about. Hope all of this doesn't slow you down. Good Luck and can't wait to see future videos.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Cool. Great info.

Not sure what I'll do. It's going to come down to the 'cool' factor. LOL.

 

[noname]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

That little truck is neat. I can tell that must have been fun. Actually, it sounds like your having fun with the whole project. I can see the enthusiasm in your typing! Thats the main thing isn't it, having fun.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

It sure is! Thanks for the comment.

I just posted a quick video about the diorama. In this vid, I'm asking for your opinion on the direction I should take:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2l4XqqvPug

Feel free to post opinions here. Thanks.

 

[Quaralane]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

I'm thinking the small one would likely work better.
A lot less dead space to cover.
Also, the small one allows you to focus more on the "story" the diorama is telling.

 

[DreamKnight]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Oh wow, either would work for me. I'd go for the biggie but I'm a biggie kinda guy. If I were in your situation, I would have gone the bigger diorama just for the mere fact I had my mind going already with the horse!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

While I too like larger dioramas, with the big one you have there....you have a large area to fill and tell a story, and that is one of the things about dioramas, it is easy to let it get away from you and it ends up being larger than it needs.

At the same time....you can really show a long scrape along the ground, leading to the aircraft, which in a sense will tell the story.

With the small one....you don't have as much space to show that....so the question would arise...."How did the plane get there?"

Kind of damned if you do...damned if you don't.

If it was me, I would opt for the larger one, while it may be a little big, I think the story from the scene gets told better with the longer area you have to have the Spit scrap across the ground.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Cool. Thanks for the feedback. I think I'll go big or go home.

Does anyone know if the top engine panels on the MK1 come off in one big piece or 2 pieces (left and right)? - I can't find good reference for that anywhere.

 

[Talen]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

I like the idea of the smaller diorama, I focuses more on the subject. Also, the smaller one would take less time, and you already have a large diorama in the works...or do you anymore..? ;D

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Here is the picture of the 1/32 Tamiya one

One top, 2 sides, and a bottom that includes the air intake.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

I think I'll find a happy medium - or the larger one. HOTH is on the back burner. I tickered at it a bit more a while back. I'll get back into that at some point - you know how it is.

Scott - got that photo brotha?

 

[AKE]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

Go small or go home. There is too much empty space in the larger one. In a dio there is no need to show everything. Think of a battle scene with a group of soilders firing and charging. You don't need to model the enemy to understand what is going on. You could model the gouge in the turf running off the edge and it would be clear what happened without having to model the entire thing.

 

[Junkie]

Re: [WIP] Spitfire Down! Spitfire Down!

LOL. It's so cool to get different opinions.

After looking at it alot more, smaller is definitely better. I still want to get the horse,wagon and hay in there though. I think I'll have the Tilly off the road in the field but have the farmer, horse & wagon stopped on the road, like he was passing by or working the field when the plane went down. Should make for lots of interest while still keeping the diorama tight.